Chapter 27: Chapter 27

AVERY

Avery and Luca spent the rest of the weekend together, and she actually called in on Monday so they could catch up.

She hated that she had such a limited time with him, but she knew he had to be back to work. She promised that she would go back home when school was out and spend some time with the family.

He even mentioned that his dad wanted her to come to Italy again, having a new blend of wine he wanted her to try.

Avery was still flying high Wednesday when she got a text from Justin asking her to come by the clubhouse for a few minutes. She agreed and told him she loved him, then went to the playground.

She was a little concerned that she hadn’t heard much from him in the last few days, but chalked it up to him giving her time with Luca.

She was so grateful that he understood needing to reconnect with Luca after not seeing him since November when he left for Italy.

The rest of the day moved smoothly, and she drove to the clubhouse humming to herself, excited to see the man she loved and to tell him about how much fun she had with her honorary brother.

JUSTIN

Justin’s head was spinning. He couldn’t believe everything that he was seeing and hearing from his men. He felt stupid and used. And his heart was breaking.

How could he have not seen it? How could he have been so blind?

“Did you hear me, Prez?” Cash asked.

“What?” he asked, dragging his eyes away from the pictures all over the whiteboard.

“Are we still okay to open the coffee shop next Saturday?” Cash asked again.

“Uh, sorry. Yeah, we are good if Gabi says we are,” Justin said.

“Your sister is a genius, Cash! Why did we keep her at the bike shop for so long?” Mitch asked.

“Cuz the guys like looking at her!” Hank exclaimed, making the others laugh. Cash rolled his eyes, mumbling about them being horny dickheads.

Justin got up and walked the length of the whiteboard on the wall, looking at the picture of Avery, her father, and the Bianchi family.

He reread the timeline that they had up. He was trying to process everything and couldn’t make his heart and head get on the same page.

He knew they were watching him, but he just couldn’t bring himself to care. He was hurting, and if they didn’t understand that, then that was on them. He sat back down with a sigh.

“I know you are hurting, Prez, but you need to just cut ties cold turkey and move on. We got a run out west this week. Drown your sorrows in pussy, weed, and whiskey,” Mikey said, trying to be sympathetic.

Justin knew he wasn’t. He knew Mikey was dying to say ‘I told you so.’

“So Stevo, are you sure that this is accurate? Everything?” Justin asked again, silently praying that there was doubt.

“Yeah, Justin. Avery has a deep connection with the Bianchi family, and they have deep ties with the Italian Mafia. They use their vineyard to hide and transport lots of things.

“Avery’s dad was on their payroll, and speculation is that he was killed to send a message to Old Man Bianchi. They were friends for years—treated Avery like one of his own kids, from the look of it.”

“Cuz she was connected with him, his guys had her info buried. That’s why no matter what I did, it seemed like I could find nothing on her.

“But as soon as you told me about Bianchi, I hit the jackpot,” Stevo explained.

They all jumped when the door slammed open, and they saw Avery standing there with a confused look on her face and tears in her eyes.

“Why do you have pictures of my family up? My dad and my uncle?”

“We found out about you, Avery. The game is up,” Mikey sneered.

“What the hell are you talking about?” Avery demanded. “What game?”

“We know all about the Bianchi family and your connections, your father’s connections. We know he died in a mob-related incident,” Mikey finished.

“My uncle Gio owns a fucking vineyard. His kids help run it! My father was killed in a police-related shooting, not by mobsters,” Avery countered.

You can drop the act—” Mikey started, but Justin interrupted. “That’s enough, Mikey.”

Everyone stopped talking and watched as Avery walked to the board, looking at all of the information before her, trying to absorb and process it.

“What do you have to say, Avery?” Justin asked, trying not to sound hurt or angry.

“I have no damn idea what is going on, Justin! None of this makes sense. My dad was a good cop. He has awards and commendations.

“My Uncle Gio and him had been friends since I was little, before my mom died. I grew up with Luca and Matteo. We played in their huge backyard and swam in their pool!”

Avery’s voice caught with emotion. “And now you are telling me that everything I thought I knew and grew up with is a lie? The man who calls me ‘little flower’ in Italian is a mobster?

“That my father, the man who did anything for me, was crooked?”

Justin looked at her and could see the sadness in her eyes and face. He felt terrible and was getting the feeling she really did have no idea what was going on around her.

They had just dropped a bomb on her, and she had no idea what to do with it.

He went to reach out and grab her hand, but she pulled back.

“NO. This is why you have been distant since Luca got here, isn’t it? You think I knew all about this and was feeding them information?”

She looked at Justin and then at each of the other men at the table.

Mitch and Cash looked away, uncomfortable being in this position. Mikey and Stevo looked defiant, watching her, not buying her innocent act.

Justin was torn, desperately wanting to believe her, but the information on the board was eating at him.

Avery was trying hard to keep her composure, but failing miserably.

“You do think that... Shit. I can’t believe this…” She wiped her face, then looked at him. “After everything we talked about, everything I shared with you? And this is how you treat me?”

“Avery, wait! I—” Justin started.

“Shut up! Don’t say another word to me. I love you!” She sobbed. “Or at least I thought I did. I can see I was actually in love with who I thought you were. Just leave me the fuck alone!”

Avery turned, pushing Justin out of her way, and ran through the clubhouse, ignoring Kiki and others who tried to stop and talk to her.

Justin watched as the woman he loved ran out crying and desperately wanted to go after her, but Mikey stopped him. “Boss, don’t.”

Justin was furious but felt helpless and sat back down, all his men watching him.

He took a few deep breaths before he adjourned the meeting, and the men left in silence, letting their leader lick his wounds.

Before Hank left, Justin stopped him. “I need a number for a Bianchi—the old man or the kid I met.”

Hank looked at him. “You sure about that?”

Justin looked at him. “I need to know if the look on her face, the pain that I saw, was real or not.”

Hank nodded and patted him on the back. “I’ll see what I can do.”

Justin closed the door behind him, went to the couch, and put his head in his hands.

He prayed that the man who had been in the MC for over twenty-five years and had connections could find this for him. He was an adviser at the table, and Justin needed him to do this job for him.

He knew his heart literally depended on it.